5 Different Types of Manicures
Picking out a manicure can be daunting. You want your nails to appear natural yet healthy and vibrant.
There are various techniques for accomplishing any nail goal, whether that means long-wearing polish or bold designs. Here are five different kinds of manicures: Basic, Hard Gel, Soft Gel, Acrylic and Dip Powder.
Basic
What It Is: A basic manicure is an efficient, straightforward experience that involves trimming, filing and shaping nails before pushing back cuticles before receiving a quick hand massage before painting them with nail polish of your choice. It’s ideal for those seeking a minimal look or who are short on time – an affordable way to ensure a quality service experience.
If you want to add an eye-catching flourish to their manicure, opt for a reverse French ombre manicure. This technique involves painting nails in two steps; first with dark colors, and then with lighter hues at the tips. Sculpted manicures involve using forms to sculpt extensions underneath faux tips or at free edge of natural nails and last about three weeks before needing fill-in or rebalance services to keep them looking their best.
Hard Gel
This type of manicure applies a thick coating over your natural nails with gel. Applying it using a brush, it can then be reshaped, refilled and remolded as necessary – and according to Yankee it provides more flexibility than acrylic alternatives.
Hard gel nail polish, when done correctly by an experienced technician, should not cause damage. This is because it is applied directly onto a clean nail and set using UV or LED lamps.
Hard gel manicures can last around three weeks with regular touch ups required to keep their shape and shine in tact. As with acrylic nails, however, hard gel must be filed off instead of removed using traditional polish remover.
Soft Gel
What it Involves: “This appointment usually entails standard services such as trimming, shaping, filing and buffing nails to maintain their hygiene and health, followed by applying and curing standard soft gel overlays under an LED nail lamp for one to two minutes per layer,” Kandalec states.
Soft gel manicures offer many advantages over acrylics in terms of natural nail health and may even prevent nail biting! Plus, it can be painted over to expand nail art design options beyond solid color nails.
Due to so many manicure options on offer, selecting an effective technique may be challenging. To help make this decision easier for you, we consulted salon owners, manicurists and nail experts about the advantages and disadvantages of leading manicure styles – soft, hard, sculpted manicures. Read on!
Acrylic
Once upon a time, visiting a nail salon was an effortless affair – simply picking your preferred polish color and perhaps purchasing some upgrades or add-ons. But with beauty industry expansion continuing apace, it has become ever more essential that we place some thought and consideration into each salon visit and treatment decision made.
Acrylic manicures may be ideal for those seeking a stronger and longer-lasting manicure, using liquid monomer and powder polymer (think bead-like putty) with lengthening tips to form an opaque coating over natural nails. An acrylic can last up to six weeks with frequent fill-in appointments necessary. As with all nail treatments, regular appointments with your technician are key in order to obtain optimal results.
Dip Powder
Dip powder nails are an authentic acrylic-based nail service, using resin rather than gels for nail bonding.
At the beginning of every service, natural nails are coated in clear adhesive before being dipped twice or three times into a clear powder and colored pigment for color enhancement. This step varies depending on desired opacity levels.
Aaron cautions his clients not to share pots of nail polish, as this can spread germs. After applying the manicure, UV lights seal and cure the look. Dip powder can last up to three weeks but, as with artificial nails, should be removed and redone regularly for optimal results. However, Aaron stresses the importance of investing in quality products as some cheaper brands contain chemicals which could damage natural nails.